Chapter 5: Being Discovered

With a sharp shriek from Nanny Li, the entire Prince’s Mansion was set in motion.

Xiao Cai and Xiao Yun, who had followed Nanny Li over hoping to see An Ran suffer, turned pale with fright and stood trembling to the side.

The Old Prince was a man who fiercely protected his own. Even if the Third Miss was a fool, she was still a member of the Prince Yan’s Mansion. He might not care if she was bullied, but she must never be harmed to the point of losing her life.

When the Third Miss was five, she had angered the Eldest Miss. In a fit of rage, the Eldest Miss pushed the Third Miss into the pond and forbade anyone from saving her. By the time the Old Prince received the news and rushed over, the Third Miss was already on the verge of death.

The Old Prince was furious and ordered the execution of all the servants present who had failed to save her. Even the favored Eldest Miss was forced to kneel in the ancestral hall for three days. From then on, no one dared to truly threaten the life of this fool.

"The Old Prince has arrived!"

Watching the imposing Old Prince Yan storm into the room, Xiao Cai and Xiao Yun collapsed onto the floor with a thud. The Old Prince didn't even glance at them; he strode into the inner chamber and looked at the lifeless An Ran, his face full of rage.

"How is it? Has she been revived?"

The imperial physician, who had been busy for quite a while, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "Replying to Your Highness, I fear the Third Miss has already passed."

The Old Prince slammed his mahogany cane heavily against the floor. "Passed? What passed? No matter the cost, bring her back to life for me!"

Hearing the Old Prince’s words, An Ran, who had suppressed her own breath, felt relieved. Her original plan of feigning death was merely to test the Old Prince’s reaction and determine his true attitude toward her.

Fortunately, for the time being, he had no interest in her death; in fact, he very much did not want her to die.

An Ran was at ease, but the imperial physician wanted to die. How was he supposed to save someone who was already dead and had no breath left?

The physician fussed over An Ran, poking her with needles and forcing medicine down her throat. He had only intended to put on a show for the Old Prince, but to his surprise, the person who had been dead suddenly showed a trace of breath.

The physician was overjoyed. "She’s alive! The Third Miss is alive!"

The Old Prince loosened his grip on his cane and imperceptibly wiped the cold sweat from his brow. He said coldly, "I leave her in your care. If she dies..."

The Old Prince left the rest unsaid, and the physician shivered. "This humble servant will certainly cure the Third Miss!"

The Old Prince nodded, his voice indifferent. "All the servants who were on duty for the Third Miss today are to be beaten to death."

Because of the Old Prince’s threat, the physician was extremely diligent in treating An Ran, and An Ran consciously controlled herself, allowing her body to slowly recover.

"Let me tell you a secret."

"What is it?"

"My cousin said she saw Young Master Shen!"

Hearing the name "Young Master Shen," An Ran, who was lying on the bed playing dead, instantly pricked up her ears to listen to the two little maids gossiping.

"Which Young Master Shen?"

"In this world, besides that one, who else would dare to call themselves Young Master Shen?"

The little maid laughed. "Even if you’re bragging, tell me something believable. A figure like Young Master Shen—is he someone just anyone can see?"

The other little maid grew angry. "I’m not bragging! My cousin is about to get married. She went to Ruyuan Temple to pray, hoping for a good husband, but that night she was abducted and saw Young Master Shen. Because of this, she even wants to call off her wedding. And rightly so—after seeing a man like Young Master Shen, how could any other man in the world catch her eye?"

The first maid laughed even harder. "The more you talk, the more ridiculous it gets. Why have I been hearing such nonsense these past few days? The day before yesterday, someone told me they saw a person wearing purple cloud-patterned brocade. Could that have been Young Master Shen too?"

An Ran’s heart instantly leaped into her throat. The sound of the two maids’ teasing seemed to fade away, leaving only four words echoing in her mind.

She had been discovered.

She had thought that by staying quietly in the Prince’s Mansion and playing the fool, she could escape with her life. But did that damned Young Master Shen have to move so quickly?

How could she be so unlucky that someone saw her the night she returned to the mansion?

An Ran was burning with anxiety. No matter who had seen her, she had to find that person before Young Master Shen did. Otherwise, if Young Master Shen followed the trail, she was dead.